Apr 12 2024
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Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
I hadn't heard the album and the band didn't sound familiar to me, but when I was listening to the album, it felt like I was listening to the Platonic ideal of 1970s rock.
I recognise the final song of the album (American Girl) from an episode of Scrubs (My American Girl).
4
Apr 13 2024
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Abbey Road
Beatles
I'd listened to all the songs from this album individually, but I don't think I've heard it from start to finish before today. Now that I've done so, I don't feel like I was missing out on anything. It doesn't feel like a cohesive narrative is being told by the arrangement of songs.
This album contains a few of my favourite Beatles songs - Something, Here Comes the Sun, Oh! Darling - but the second half of the album contains quite a few filler songs, and I was waiting for the album to end.
4
Apr 14 2024
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Power In Numbers
Jurassic 5
Hip hop has never been a genre that I've enjoyed or invested much time into, but this is probably some of the most enjoyable hip hop I've listened to. The album started with a really fun bass riff, and various songs had really fun samples of piano, wind instruments and other double bass riffs, which helped me get through the album, but I can't say I enjoyed the album. I prefer songs to have more melodic singing, which this genre does not provide.
3
Apr 15 2024
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Moon Safari
Air
I absolutely love La femme d'argent, but have never checked out other stuff by Air. This album was a treat from start to finish. I don't think any of the songs that were new to me were better than La femme d'argent, but they were still great and the album as a whole was a great time.
5
Apr 16 2024
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Odessey And Oracle
The Zombies
I have heard of The Zombies, and I have listened to some of their songs before, but as I was going through this album I thought that none of the songs on this album were ones I'd heard before. It was a good album, very typical of what I'd expect when hearing that they were an English rock band from the 60s. The album had a very Beatles vibe to it, which I'm more familiar with, and was a good album to have in the background.
When I got to the final song of the album, Time of the Season, I realised that I recognise the song from a bunch of places. It was one of the songs that I knew but didn't know the name or the artist of because it plays in TV shows and movies, and also I imagine I would have heard it a bunch on the radio without being inquisitive about it either.
4
Apr 17 2024
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Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs
Marty Robbins
I do not like the genre, so I had low hopes for this album. I recognised the first song from Fallout, but other than that slight joy from recognition, I was right in having low hopes. I think people who like country music will probably enjoy it. It sounds like country music, but that's not for me.
2
Apr 18 2024
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Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room
Dwight Yoakam
From the first note Dwight sang and I heard that classic country twang, I knew I was going to hate this album. It sounded like pretty standard country music from my limited understanding of the genre, and as such getting through the album was a struggle for me.
1
Apr 19 2024
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Night Life
Ray Price
I may be shorter than I normally would be to a country western artist, but this is the 3rd country western album I've listened to in 3 days. I do not like the genre, so I did not enjoy any of the 37 minutes and 8 seconds I spent listening to this album.
I do think this was the least enjoyable of the 3, but I think that very well could be because each country western album has chipped away at my soul to make the subsequent albums feel worse and worse.
1
Apr 20 2024
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Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
I found this album to be pretty typical of the genre and time period. Pretty good background music, but I probably would not go looking to listen to this album again.
I did think they were going too hard with the harmonised dos and dums, and then near the end of the album they hit me with a song that was entirely harmonised dos and dums. I felt like I was being punked.
3
Apr 21 2024
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Beach Samba
Astrud Gilberto
What a chill vibe! I loved having this album on in the background of a slow weekend afternoon at home.
4
Apr 22 2024
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Pearl
Janis Joplin
Janis Joplin is an artist that I know is very influential from what I've heard other people say and from comments made in media, but before listening to this album, I couldn't have named one Janis Joplin song. I enjoyed learning about her style and life story as I was listening, and the music itself was very fun to listen to and full of emotion.
4
Apr 23 2024
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(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
I know this album very well, and really enjoy the songs I listened to.
I was gearing up to have to listen to Wonderwall again, but once it came on I just enjoyed it as a good song. The phase of listening to being held captive by people play Wonderwall on an acoustic guitar is over and nature is healing, so I can enjoy the song again. That being said, even if I had the reaction I expected to Wonderwall, there are plenty of other songs on this album that would have made it worth it.
Ending the album with Champagne Supernova was a strong choice.
5
Apr 24 2024
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Justified
Justin Timberlake
I know this was Justin's first solo album, and even if I didn't read that I could tell because every song reeks of desperation to define a brand. Some of these songs sound fine, but pretty much every lyric is so basic and bland that I can't get behind this album.
I'm sure the target market in 2002 would have loved it, but hearing him sing a whole album basically begging to sleep with girls sounds really tragic and offputting in Y.O.O.L 2024.
2
Apr 25 2024
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Aja
Steely Dan
A really fun mix of jazz and pop/rock, not leaning too hard on either and mixing things up to keep it fresh throughout the album. It's a great album to have in the background of a chill evening.
3
Apr 26 2024
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3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
Fun and funky album that forces you into a good mood. Soulful vocals and some really fun riffs that will be stuck in my head all day.
4
Apr 27 2024
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C'est Chic
CHIC
Oh hey, I know that one song!
Fun, upbeat album, made me dance along while I was doing the dishes, and that's really all I ask music to do. That being said, I would have liked a bit more variation in the album.
3
Apr 28 2024
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Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors
The first song on this album gave me such severe sensory overload that I'm not sure how I feel about the rest of the album, I just wanted all sounds to stop. I'm not sure music is meant to make you feel like that.
The album had some moments I didn't hate (Two Doves wasn't bad), but it was mostly kind of annoying and I did not enjoy the 40 minutes I spent on it.
2
Apr 29 2024
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Moby Grape
Moby Grape
I enjoyed listening to it while it was playing, but the album felt so similiar to everything else I've heard about in the same genre and era that I understand why I haven't heard of them before now. Not bad, but nothing to set it apart.
3
Apr 30 2024
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Pink Moon
Nick Drake
Simple without being basic, peaceful without being boring, a perfect album.
This album makes me feel like I'm rugged up by a window on a cold, stormy day with a hot chocolate and no responsibilities. That's exactly what I want from acoustic folk music, and I am ashamed that I've never heard of him before today.
This is the first album in this journey that I've needed to write down because I know I'm going to come back and listen to the album again and again, and explore the rest of Nick Drake's work.
5
May 01 2024
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Nevermind
Nirvana
A classic album and its influence on music cannot be overstated, but I reckon it was just fine.
I knew the big hits well, but hadn't heard all the songs on here before, and I ended up getting a bit bored by the end.
Not bad, not for me.
3
May 02 2024
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Soul Mining
The The
Strong start - very fun and immediately wanted to start dancing on the bus.
One thing I find with most new wave or experimental music, and this album was no exception, is that it sometimes the songs become too repetitive and it gets annoying.
Overall, I liked it but I didn't love it
3
May 03 2024
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Devil Without A Cause
Kid Rock
What a terrible day to have ears. Not only does this album suck more than anything I've ever listened to before, but the lyrics are so generic to feel insincere but still make me feel gross. To call this music is an insult to music.
1
May 04 2024
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This Is Fats Domino
Fats Domino
Yes. Great stuff. Exactly what I would expect from the genre and time, and I mean that in the best way.
4
May 05 2024
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Bitches Brew
Miles Davis
Today I learned that jazz sets off my anxiety. I'm sure it's very impressive or whatever, but I can't handle a cacophonous wall of sound for almost 2 hours.
2
May 06 2024
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Junkyard
The Birthday Party
This sounds like what a panic attack feels like. I get enough of that already.
2
May 07 2024
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The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David Bowie
Yeah, ok fine. What do you want me to say? This album has the legacy it has for a reason.
4
May 08 2024
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Endtroducing.....
DJ Shadow
Huh, that was different. Glad I had this experience, but I don't think I liked it? The concept was really interesting, but I'm not sure the product was worth it.
Many of these songs are quite chill and easy to relax to, but then the album slaps you with something less chill and kinda disconcerting that really ruins the mood. Not bad, but I can think of many other albums I would rather use to relax to.
3
May 09 2024
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Nothing's Shocking
Jane's Addiction
That was grating and annoying. I never want to listen to Jane's Addiction again, and I'm sure I can quit any day now.
2
May 10 2024
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Rising Above Bedlam
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
As much as I love a chill background album, I found the songs here to be far too annoying for that, while also being too boring and repetitive to demand my full attention. While I didn't hate the album, there's nothing positive in this album that I can't find better from other albums on this list.
The whole album felt like a failed experiment with some cool new instruments they bought while on holiday in India.
2
May 11 2024
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Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
Of all the jazz I've listened to, this is what I want jazz to be. It's chill and puts me in a good mood as a backing track for a day of doing laundry and cleaning.
4
May 12 2024
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This Is Hardcore
Pulp
I like the genre, so I didn't hate this album. However, there's nothing in here that sets them apart, and I didn't LOVE any of the songs enough.
3
May 13 2024
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Faith
George Michael
I already knew and loved Faith and Father Figure and was eager to find out how the rest of the album would play out.
As expected, the other songs were good, but not as good as tracks 1 and 2. Still a fun listen, and I enjoyed listening to George actively avoid using gendered pronouns. I see you, George!
4
May 14 2024
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Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
The Smashing Pumpkins
Wow, that was a slog. I liked how the vibes changed so often, but of course that means there were plenty of songs that I didn't vibe with. I did enjoy some songs, but I don't think any of them enough to seek them out again.
This album was too long. More often than not, I would notice a track change and then several minutes later would think "bloody hell, we're still on this song?" We don't need 7+ minute songs.
3
May 15 2024
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Led Zeppelin IV
Led Zeppelin
It's a classic for a reason, and I really enjoyed every song on this album, even ones I hadn't heard of before.
That being said, I've never understood the hype behind Stairway to Heaven.
4
May 16 2024
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The Infotainment Scan
The Fall
There was some pretty decent instrumentation throughout this album, but those vocals are killer. I can't believe I managed to sit through the whole album of that.
2
May 17 2024
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Scum
Napalm Death
Not a metal fan, but one thing I do like about this album is that it was short. Only 2 songs were longer than 2 minutes long, and it meant nothing I listened to became stale or boring.
Didn't like it at all, mostly for the unintelligible and monotonous lyrics that all sound exactly the same, but I'm so thankful that the experience was over in under 35 minutes.
1
May 18 2024
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Natty Dread
Bob Marley & The Wailers
I've gone in to bat for reggae in the past, but I quite liked this. While there are many albums that are already my go-to choices for chill background noise when I'm crafting or cooking or whatever and will probably never go hunting for reggae in the future, I didn't hate this experience.
3
May 19 2024
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Rio
Duran Duran
I already knew and loved Hungry Like the Wolf and Rio before listening to the album, and it's clear that those are stand-out songs from the album for a reason. I enjoyed the album a lot, but there were no hidden gems I hadn't heard as a kid that I absolutely loved. That being said, it was classic 80s pop and I have no strong complaints.
4
May 20 2024
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S&M
Metallica
Fascinating idea for an album. I still didn't like it, and it was simply too long.
2
May 21 2024
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The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
I remember that when I was a child (this album came out when I was 5), I really liked Stan. 20+ years later, I'm realising that I was a fan of Dido, because I sure as hell don't like Eminem.
This album is the epitome of raging against nothing in particular. This is an angry man who doesn't know what he should be angry at, so he spends the whole album rapping about his haters and punching down on women and gay people. That's not edgy or cool to hate on marginalised groups that everyone is already hating on. I can't believe making jokes/comments about committing domestic violence was ever fine, and homophobia in 2000? Groundbreaking. It's all the aesthetic of rebellion without actually fighting against an oppressive force. The whole rebel without a cause bullshit is embarrassing.
Grow the fuck up, Marshall. This is hot garbage, and it should fill you with shame that you rapped about how your fans are all kids that are acting like you just to look cool, and encouraging violence in them. Does that sound familiar? Putting on a hateful persona to look cool and edgy? Fuck you, man. Regardless of how much or little you believe what you're rapping, words have weight, and it's irresponsible and ridiculous to not acknowledge that.
1
May 22 2024
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Machine Gun Etiquette
The Damned
A bit more poppy than I'd normally expect from punk, which I enjoyed. The album also has some interesting experimental stuff going on, which kept my interest for the whole album.
That being said, it's just not for me and I doubt I'll so searching for it again.
3
May 23 2024
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The Gershwin Songbook
Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald's voice is incredible, and the instrumentation is incredibly jaunty. The fact that this album is over 3 hours long means that it's impossible to listen to unless it's wholeheartedly relegated to background noise. Thankfully, it makes perfect background noise, and I got plenty of work done with Ella in the background.
4
May 24 2024
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Rock Bottom
Robert Wyatt
At several points in the album, it sounded like they recorded a bunch of instruments falling down the stairs. Those moments were the highlights.
1
May 25 2024
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Since I Left You
The Avalanches
Albums that rely so heavily on sampling typically feel repetitive and irritating to me. This album was less so.
3
May 27 2024
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Wild Wood
Paul Weller
Very fun easy listening with a bit of variety throughout the album to keep it feeling fresh.
3